Page 5

Cadence

Part of me knew I should fear the man who held me captive. More so than others, considering my past. He was known to be ruthless and unforgiving, and no one in their right mind would challenge him, let alone try to attack him.

More importantly, he was the Prince of the Unseelie.

The two Fae courts despised one another. After the Gilded King’s betrayal, the courts had gone to war. The feuding had lasted centuries before finally tapering off. But I’d be a fool to believe that the lack of active conflict meant I wasn’t still standing on a battlefield. Every new generation had inherited that hatred, with few exceptions. He was just as likely to slit my throat for being Seelie as he was for my attempt to maim him.

Despite knowing this, however, I was beyond caring, and I had let my rage and desperation convince me it was a good idea to hurl a dagger at him.

And now I was locked inside his chambers, seething.

I paced the small area in front of the window and imagined a myriad of ways I could bring about the prince’s bloody demise. It had been foolish of me to relinquish my only weapon. Still, his shocked expression had almost made it worth it.

“You need to think, Cadence. Smugness won’t get you out of this situation,” I murmured.

My gaze swept the room. There was no hidden door or concealed passageway, no servant’s entrance, or even a small pet flap that I could use to slip free.

I was trapped, and that knowledge made my skin crawl.

My footsteps slowed as I considered the one thing that I had promised my mother I would never do again.

My magic stirred to life inside me as if in response to my thoughts. The familiar feeling of warmth spread across my chest, and for the briefest moment, I allowed myself to bask in it.

No. There was a reason I couldn’t use my magic. The risk of exposure was too great.

I shuddered at what they’d do to me if anyone ever found out.

As I resumed my pacing, I tried to come up with an alternative plan of action. I went to the door and tested the handle again.

Locked. Just like the last three times I had checked.

The cold metal remained unmoving in my grasp, taunting me.

Even if it were unlocked, it wouldn’t have helped. I’d never slip past the castle walls unnoticed.

“Don’t think like that, Cadence. You’ve got to try,” I reminded myself.

Now that I thought about it, I didn’t even know if I was actually at the Unseelie Palace.

Didn’t monarchs have a plethora of homes they frequented? This could be one of many.

I could feel the oppressive weight of the room closing in around me as my desperation grew stronger. I took a calming breath and forced myself to reassess the space with fresh eyes.

My gaze flicked to the window. Even if I could have pried it open, it was too high up for me to escape without breaking my neck.

I dismissed the window and surveyed the room once more. There had to be something else, some unnoticed weakness I had yet to find.

My thoughts were interrupted as a woman with long burgundy hair, twisted into an elegant braid, entered the chamber. She appeared youthful, although that meant very little considering that Fae were all but immortal and did not age beyond their first twenty years.

She dipped low to the ground in a curtsy, almost dropping the bundle of fabric she clutched in her arms.

I blinked, unsure if she was real or just a figment of my desperation.

“Forgive my interruption, My Lady.”

My Lady.

I scanned the chamber, searching for another woman I might have overlooked. My brows furrowed in confusion when I confirmed I was alone.

“Are you talking to me?” I asked, jabbing a finger at my chest.

The woman gave me a puzzled look before she stood. “Yes. The prince instructed me to bring your garments to his chambers.”

“My garments?”

“Yes, the Seamstress just dropped them off,” she said as she walked over to a closet and started hanging the items inside.

“I don’t understand.”

“The prince commissioned a wardrobe for you,” she answered.

“How would he even know my size?”

Of all the questions I should’ve asked — like how to escape — my indignation took hold, and the words slipped out before I could stop them.

I didn’t expect the woman to answer, but she did anyway.

“He took your measurements while you were resting.”

She cast a glance over her shoulder, and her eyes were awash with sympathy.

“Dreadful situation. I do hope you have recovered from the rough handling of the brutes who tried to kidnap you.”

I was certain her prince had omitted the part about how he had been the brute in question.

Wait, did she just say he measured me?

Before I could dwell on it, the woman finished and turned to me. “I will be your chambermaid. If you need anything, just ring that bell over there.”

I turned to where she pointed. Sure enough, a bell hung beside the bed.

“Thank you,” I muttered, not knowing what else to say.

“You’re very welcome, My Lady,” she replied as she turned to leave.

Panic surged inside my chest. The woman’s arrival was the perfect opportunity for escape, and it was already slipping between my fingers.

“Wait!” I called after her. “I don’t know your name.”

“Oh my!” she gasped as she placed her hand at the base of her throat. “Where are my manners? My name is Scarlette,” she said and offered me her hand.

“Cadence.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cadence,” she said, beaming.

“Likewise.”

My mind raced for a way to get past her… unless I didn’t have to. Perhaps this woman would be an ally. It would be a lot easier to escape if I had help. I needed to gauge how loyal she was to the prince. Maybe she despised Ryker like those in the Seelie Kingdom. I could turn her to my side. I just needed to…

A door clicking shut pulled me from my thoughts. As I scanned the chamber once more, I realized Scarlette had already left.

“Perfect!”

I sighed in defeat and made my way over to the closet where she had deposited my clothes.

I couldn’t help the gasp that escaped me when I took in the garments. The closet was filled with the most beautiful dresses I’d ever seen. Made from the finest materials and embroidered with the most elegant designs, they were simply breathtaking. My fingers slid over the different fabrics, and I all but groaned when I touched a silk nightdress.

While he was a complete bastard, I had to admit, the prince had exceptional taste.

I plucked a nightdress from the offerings and pulled it flush against my body. It looked about right.

I quickly rid myself of my clothing and pulled the nightdress over my head.

It fit like a glove, and this knowledge only made my blood boil hotter.

That asshole.

It was bad enough that he kidnapped me, brought me to an unknown and deadly kingdom, kept me locked up like some godsdamned pet. You’d think he would draw a line somewhere.

But no.

He also thought it was acceptable to touch my body without my permission while I was unconscious and couldn’t do anything about it.

I shouldn’t have been surprised, knowing what I did about him, but I was.

Ryker may have been a prince and used to everyone dancing to his tune, but he had crossed a line.

The gods wouldn’t be cruel enough to make that man my mate.

Would they?

My only comfort for the time was knowing that I didn’t feel the same pull toward him that he seemed to feel towards me.

Are you sure? My inner voice taunted. Didn’t you feel him watching you in the marketplace?

I shook my head to rid myself of the intrusive thoughts. I refused to accept the Unseelie Prince was my mate, no matter his claims.

Even if he hadn’t taken me by force, he would always be my enemy.

That was not a healthy foundation for a bond.

That was bonded chaos.

I laughed bitterly at the thought.

The one man who would kill me without hesitation if he knew the truth about me, believed he was my mate.